Support

10 Things You May Not Know About NAMI’s Family to Family Program

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Not long ago, my wife and I attended the “Family to Family” program offered by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). The program is a class which is targeted to help family, significant others and friends of people with a mental health condition. Taking this class had been our bucket list for several years. I’ve heard more than a few people say they found the program “life-changing,” so we were very intrigued to see what the program was all …

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How to Get the Most Out of Your Support Group

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I’m a big fan of support groups and there are a zillion of them to help you with just about any type of personal challenge you may be facing. In one of my most popular posts, I discussed “9 Benefits of Support Groups.” To recap, these benefits of support groups include: Realizing that you are not alone Expressing your feelings Learning helpful information Improved social skills Gaining hope Reducing distress Increased self-understanding Helping others Affordability I thought it might be …

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r is for Recovery

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Each September, SAMHSA, the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration sponsors “National Recovery Month” to increase awareness of mental health and substance use issues.  2019 marks the 30th anniversary of National Recovery Month. The theme for 2019 is “Join the Voices for Recovery: Together We Are Stronger.” This theme “emphasizes the need to share resources and build networks across the country to support the many paths to recovery. It reminds us that mental and substance use disorders affect …

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10 Things You May Not Know About AA (Alcoholics Anonymous)

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Almost everyone has heard of Alcoholics Anonymous, or AA. Millions of people with drinking problems have benefitted from AA’s “Twelve Steps” approach to achieving sobriety since its founding in 1935. Many different spinoff groups (Narcotics Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, Sex Addicts Anonymous, etc.) use the same basic model. Al-Anon and Alateen provide resources for families of AA members. I picked up some useful information about AA at a recent conference I attended. From this material, I found several interesting tidbits and …

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Coping with Disaster: Mental Health Resources

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Like you, I’ve been so moved and saddened by the images and stories of the destruction and aftermath of the recent devastating hurricanes in the southern US and in the Caribbean. Perhaps you or a loved one have been directly impacted by these terrifying events and you may be looking for tips and strategies to manage the emotional distress you’re now going through. I’m providing several resources from the American Psychological Association (APA) that may be helpful during this difficult …

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A Dozen Self-Care Strategies for Helpers & Caregivers

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Chances are good that you’ve served in a helping or caregiving role for someone else at some point in your life. My definition of “helper or caregiver” is pretty broad. It includes not only those who work professionally in a helping role (health care workers, counselors, therapists, teachers, clergy, first responders), but also family and friends who provide care for loved ones with health issues, disabilities and other limitations or challenges. We’re learning more and more how stressful these helping …

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Recovery After a Suicide Attempt: ‘A Journey Toward Health and Hope’

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Perhaps you (or someone you care about) have had such significant distress, depression or hopelessness that you attempted to end your life by suicide. However, if you’re reading this, I’m so glad you made it through that incredibly difficult experience. Often there is little support for suicide attempt survivors, so I’m always looking out for helpful resources. Not long ago, I came across a free publication called “A Journey Toward Health and Hope: Your Handbook to Recovery After a Suicide …

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‘First Aid’ for Mental Health Concerns

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Most of us are familiar with basic first aid approaches to manage medical situations, or perhaps you’ve even had a first aid course at school or work. But did you know you can now take a special type of first aid course to learn how to better handle mental health concerns and crises? I had heard about “Mental Health First Aid” some time ago, so I was very excited when recently I was able to attend a one-day class in my community. I’d like to …

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